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My best friend is sexually harassing me at work.
It's strange even to write it, but no one will ever see this.
We had a presentation on sexual harassment in the workplace yesterday and I sat with ------'s hand rubbing up and down my thigh as I checked every one of the indications listed. It only became more awkward when he berated the presenter for being so heterosexist and then used the two of us in an elaborate example that was all too familiar.
But what am I supposed to do? ------'s the one who got me the job. At the time he said it was so we could spend more time together. Smoke pot before our shifts and complain about the customers and boss. When I tried to bring it up he just smiled and changed the subject. That was still when I thought it was all a joke. Something that I was supposed to find funny but didn't.
I find myself with four options: quit, intervention, press charges, or ignore. So far I've picked the fourth. I told myself that I have to make rent. That I don't want to police involved, and I don't want every one to know.
Really I'm just very passive. Or passive aggressive. It depends who you talk to.
The first person I hypothetically mentioned the "situation" to suggested chemical castration. When I didn't laugh she said I should stop dressing like I was asking for it. Of course she thought it was all a joke. Another weird situation brought up over coffee. The conversation soon moved on to pottery as a murder weapon.
But I took the suggestion seriously. No more tightish pants and definitely the end of the almost too small shirts that had become my work attire. ------ made his disapproval known. In public he called me a sell out. Said I was giving in and growing up. In private he just started reaching under the clothes instead of over them.
Nothing else I did made any difference. So clearly the do nothing plan of action isn't working, and I have to chose another off the list. Or do I? Because that just seems too decisive for me. I have a plan. Something that doesn't include face to face conflict.